6 Causes of Professional Burnout And How To Avoid Them

When the fog of burnout engulfs your employees, they feel annoyed, unaccomplished, and unappreciated.  These days, burnout has become a buzzword in the corporate sector, and working professionals often face this situation amidst a busy and challenging schedule. Employee burnout is a bigger threat for modern enterprises because it is responsible for up to 50% of the company’s annual workforce turnover. 

Let’s understand the top factors that lead to burnout and figure out ways to address them. But before digging deep into the causes of burnout, here is an introduction to the term employee burnout. 

What is Employee Burnout?

Back in 1970, Herbert Freudenberg, an American psychologist coined the term burnout for describing the outcomes of severe stress and high ideals in busy professionals who remain ready to sacrifice their needs to help others. As per Freudenberg’s definition, ‘burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion caused by one’s professional life.’  

Though burnout can affect anyone- idealists, stressed out careerists, perfectionists, success-driven celebrities, or overworked employees. However, here, we keep the scope of burnout limited to overburdened employees and discuss the top factors contributing to burnout. 

Top Factors that Cause Burnout among Employees

1. Lack of Planning Leads to Heavy Workload

First things first. When employees have a workload that matches their capability, they can easily and effectively get the work done on time. They can also find time for professional growth and recreation. But, when your employees feel overloaded, all these opportunities remain non-existent for them. 

You can address the stress of workload by focusing on three key areas- planning, prioritizing, and performing. A task management app can come in handy when you are trying to address these three areas effectively. Companies can also opt for some proactive measures to reduce the employee’s workload, thereby reducing the feelings of burnout. 

2. No Tracking of Contribution Results in Lack of Rewards

Employees work for money, but it is not their only goal. Extrinsic and intrinsic rewards can play a vital role in making the job interesting for your employees. When rewards do not match the amount of effort and time they put in, chances are high that employees get frustrated and they feel stressed. 

The task management software can show you every team member’s contribution in real-time. You can motivate your high-performing team members with more positive feedback or rewards to keep them productive and efficient in the current work environment. 

3. Improper Task Allocation Brings Lack of Control

Many times, employees feel that they have limited access to resources and they are not entitled to make decisions. This can gradually take a toll on their professional life. At times, priorities keep on shifting within the workplace so employees can never get ahead or you, as an entrepreneur, could not find resources that can effectively perform various tasks. 

In such a situation, a task management app remains handy. You can easily allocate tasks to your employees as per their liking and capability. It gives them a feeling of involvement in various projects and your employees never get the sense of lack of control. 

Also Read- The Importance of Task Management Software for Businesses

4. Biased Approach and Lack of Fair Treatment

Now, keep yourself in the employee’s shoes and find the answer to the following questions- 

– Do you get an appreciation for your contributions?

– Do other individuals get praised for your work? 

– Does an individual get regular extensions in deadline and access to additional resources? 

If an answer to any of these questions is in ‘Yes’, then there is a serious issue known as a lack of fairness. At times, seniors or managers are unaware of their biases and employees need to draw their attention toward this issue. 

5. Conflict of Values between Employees and Company

There may be a disconnect between your core values and the same of your organization. Companies tend to mention or highlight their mission statements and core values on websites and marketing collateral. But, when it comes to implement them, only a few companies can go ahead. The conflict between the employee’s values and the company’s values can be a potential reason for the employee’s burnout. 

6. Lack of Community or Departmental Support

It is a fact that we cannot choose our colleagues and clients, but we can improve the work culture. All we need to ask them how their day is going and listen to them carefully, or we can just send them an email containing appreciation of their presentation. It is fair to mention that burnout can be contagious and therefore, as a manager, you need to shift the morale of the group to elevate the engagement of employees. None of your employees should ever feel that they do not get support from the community. Otherwise, they may consider a job change.  

Concluding Lines

Burnout goes beyond the feeling of tiredness. It is a complex and multifaceted issue that needs a robust and accurate solution. Hope these six sources of burnout and their solutions will help you address this issue effectively. Finally, a feature-rich task management tool can assist your employees to get rid of burnout by motivating them to make changes in their work style.